In a recent interview with Digital Trends, Catherine Dunwoody, executive director of the California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP), revealed that Nissan – along with other several major automakers – is planning a production hydrogen-powered vehicle by 2016.
Apparently, this isn’t the only technology that Nissan has in research and design. In addition to a hydrogen vehicle, Nissan is planning a plug-in hybrid vehicle in either the mid-size or full-size vehicle range for 2015.
Speaking with WhatCar, Nissan’s executive vice-president for product planning, Andy Palmer, said, “Hybridization is a derivative, a way of improving the combustion engine. It all needs to come together in a slippery [shaped] car.”
Rather than creating an all-new product from scratch for its plug-in hybrid technology, Nissan is likely to insert the drivetrain tech under the hood of one of its current models. If the Ford Fusion Energi and Honda Accord plug-in hybrid are any indication, Nissan is likely to fit its latest Altima with a plug-in powertrain.
Nissan has a rather innovative and trail blazing streak running through it so we wouldn’t be surprised if the Japanese automaker didn’t stop there with distinctive drivetrain technologies.
